Ladder rest



8. J. ROKETA LADDER REST May 27, .1952

Filed Sept. 9, 1949 I 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 INVENTOR.

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5. J. ROKETA LADDER REST May 27, 1952 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed Sept. 9, 1949 .;mm mm w mm ,e M m e r J M H.

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Patented May 27, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LADDER REST Stanley J. Roketa, Minneapolis, Minn.

Application September 9, 1949, Serial No. 114,884

This invention relates to improvements in ladder rests,the primary object of the invention being to provide ladder rests which engage a wall or the like in a manner to provide clearance between the wall or the like and a ladder, and which involve wheels for rollably engaging the wall or the like at points spaced laterally outwardly from opposite sides of the ladder, whereby a window or the like may be straddled and work can be done on the window or the like without interference from the ladder or from the rests.

Another important object of the invention is the provision of ladder rests of the character indicated above which can be made rigid, non-adjustable form, or in an adjustable form in which the vertical and rearward reach of .the rests and the lateral spread of the wheels can be adjusted V to suit conditions.

Other important objects and advantageous fe tures of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein, for illustrative purposes only, specific embodiments of the invention are set forth in detail.

In the drawings: 7

Figure 1 is a left-hand side elevation of one embodiment;

Figure 2 is a front elevation thereof;

Figure 3 is a. horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a transverse vertical section taken on the line 44 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a horizontal section taken on the line 55 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view, partly in section;

Figure '7 is a left-hand side elevation of another embodiment;

Figure 8 is a transverse section taken on the line 88 of Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a horizontal section taken through Figure 7;

Figure 10 is a left-hand side elevation of a further embodiment;

Figure 11 is a transverse vertical section taken on the line lI-H of Figure 10;

Figure 12 is a horizontal section of still a further embodiment.

Figure 13 is a transverse vertical section taken on the line I3-|3 of Figure 12.

Referring in detail to the drawings, wherein like numerals designate like parts throughout the several related views, and first to Figures 1 to 6, the numeral [5 designates a ladder having stiles I6, I 6 and rungs l1, upon which is installed a rest generally designated l8, in accordance with the present invention.

The rest I 8 comprises a cross-member compris- 4 Claims. (Cl. 228-60) ing a pipe l9 having split tapered ends 20 on which are threaded tapered clamping collars 21. The cross-member pipe I9 is removably secured against the backs of the stiles [6 by J-bolts 22 which hook upwardly around the pipe l9 and extend forwardly along the inner and outer sides of the stiles and pass through plates 23 engaging the fronts of the stiles, and have clamping nuts 24 on the front ends engaging the plates 23. The pipe 19 is substantially wider than the ladder [5 so as to extend beyond the opposite sides thereof.

Angle brackets have arms 25 inserted in and clamped by the sleeves or collars 2| in the 0pposite ends of the pipe l9 and arms 26 extending rearwardly and terminating in forks 27 on which wheels 28 are mounted. The wheels may have rubber tires 29 to engage a wall 39 against which the ladder is to be leaned.

The brackets are held in right-angular relation to the ladder by flat bar braces 3| arranged diagonally and having their upper ends riveted at 32 to the bracket arms 26 near the forks 21, with their lower ends secured at 33 to the laterally-outward ends of L-shaped terminals 34 on the forward sides of a clamping bar 35 which engages the forward sides of a ladder rung l1, spaced at a substantial distance below the cross-member pipe I9. U-shaped clam s 36 embrace the rung and the clamping bar 35 and are contracted by bolts 31.

Referring now to the embodiment of Figures 7 to 9, the rest 38 comprises a cross-member comprising a tube l9a having split ends provided with ears 39 through which clamping boltsv 2la extend for clamping in the tube l9a the arms 25 of angle brackets having rearwardly-directed arms 26 terminating in forks 21 mounting wheels 28. As indicated inFigure 9, the wheel brackets can be moved outwardly and inwardly and locked in related positions by the bolts 2 la to enable the wheels 28 to engage the wall 39 at opposite sides of a relatively wide window or the like (not shown). The tube l9a is secured to the backs of the ladder stiles it by J-bolts 22a hooked over the pipe and passing forwardly through plates 23:; engaging the fronts of the stiles and secured by nuts 24a.

The braces 3Ia are in this instance adjustable as to length and comprise elongated U-shaped guides 40 between whose sides 4|, extends screws 42 journaled at 43 in the bight portions #4 of the guides and provided at their lower ends with crank handles 45. The upper ends of the screws 42 are rotatably connected at 46 with clevises 47 which slide in the guides and embrace the wheel forks 27a to which the clevises are pivoted ona horizontal axis, as indicated at 48. Also slidable in the guides 49 are the ends of a cross-bar 49 secured to the ladder stiles is by J-bolts 58, the screws 42 being threaded in the cross-bar 49, whereby rotation of the screws in one direction extends the wheels 23 rearwardly from the ladder 15, while rotation of the screws in the opposite direction retracts the wheels 28 forwardly toward the ladder l5.

In Figures and 11, another embodiment is shown which comp-rises a cross-member comprisg a tube I91} secured by J-bolts 22b to the backs of the ladder stiles, the wheel brackets being longitudinally adjustable in the same manner as in Figures 7 to 9. The braces 31b consist of straight flat bars pivoted at their lower ends at 4% to the wheel forks 21 and pivoted at their upper ends at 5! to rearwardly-projecting cars 52 on the laterally-outward ends of a pair of overlapped bars 53 and 5A, which are mounted on the backs of the ladder stiles W by bolts 55 pass" ing through the stiles and through longitudinal slots 56 and 57 formed in the bars 53 and 54, respectively. When the bolts 55 are loosened, the bars 53 and 54 can be extended or contracted in conjunction with the wheel brackets to place the wheels 28 at the desired distance irom the outer sides of the ladder stiles 16.

In Figures 12 and 13, a s'tili further embodi= ment of the invention involves a cross=member in which the angle wheel brackets are integral with and non-extensible with respect to the tube 19c, and the tube 190 is mounted at the back of a ladder l5 by means of straps 58 which have rearwardly ofiset middle portions '57 carrying U-bolts 58 embracing the tube 1%. The upper ends of the straps 56 have rearwardly and downweirdly-extending hooks 59' embracing an upper ladder rung H and the lower ends of the straps have upwardly and rearwardly extending books 80 embracing a lower ladder rung 1?, bolts 6| traversing the hooks to clamp the straps on the 1'.

ladder rungs.

What is claimed is:

l. A ladder rest for attachment to a ladder including spaced upstanding stiles and a plural= ity of spaced rungs arranged transversely of and between said stiles and secured to the latter, comprising a bar adapted to be arranged tra nsversel'y of and abutting said stiles inter-mediate the ends, means embracing said bar and attached to said stiles for supporting said bar in position i;

on said stiles, a first arm arranged transversely of and adjacent to one end of said bar and havmg one end extending into and a'djusta'bly se= cured to said bar, a second arm arranged trans versely of and adjacent to the other end of said bar and having one end extending into and adjustably secured to said bar, a wheel mounted on the other end of each of said arms and adapted to rollably contact a supporting surface, and a brace extending between each of said arms and the adjacent stile and having one end fixedly secured to the adjacent arm and having the other end operatively connected to the portion of the stile adjacent thereto.

2. A ladder rest for attachment to a ladder including spaced upstanding stiles and a plurality of spaced rungs arranged transversely of and between said stiles and secured to the latter, comprising a bar adapted to be arranged transversely of and abutting said stiles intermediate the ends, means embracing said bar and attached to said stiles for supporting said bar in position on said stiles, a first arm arranged transversely of and adjacent to one end of said bar and having one end fixedly secured to said bar, a second arm arranged transversely of and adjacent to the other end of said bar and having one end fixedly secured to said bar, a wheel mounted on the other end of each of said arms and adapted to rcllably contact a supporting surface, a brace extending between each of said arms and the adjacent stile and having one end fixedly secured to the adjacent arm and a clamping bar carried by the adjacent rung and connected to each of the other ends of said braces.

-3. A ladder rest for attachment to a ladder including spaced upstanding stiles and a plurality of spaced rungs arranged transversely of and between sa-i d Stiles and secured to the latter, comprising a bar adapted to be arranged transversely of and abutting said stiles intermediate the ends, means rotatably supporting said bar and attached to said stiles for supporting said bar in position on said stiles, a first arm arranged transversely of and adjacent to one end of said bar and having one "end fixedly secured to said bar, a second arm arranged transversely of and adjacent to the other end of said bar and having one end fixedly secur d to said bar, a wheel mounted on the other end of each of said arms and adapted to rcll'ably contact a supporting surface, a brace extending between each or said arms and the adjacent stile and mounted on the adjacent stile for movement toward and away from the latter stile, one end of each of said braces being pivotally connected to the adjacent arm, and hand actuable means operatively connected to the other end of each of said braces for effecting the move merit of the latter.

4. A ladder rest for attachment to a ladder including spaced upstanding stiles and a plurality or spaced rungs arranged transversely of and between said stiles and secured 'to the latter, comprising a bar adapted to be arranged transversely of and abutting said stiles intermediate the ends, means embracing said bar and attached to said stiles for supporting said bar in position on said stiles, 'a first arm arranged transversely of and adjacent to one end of said bar and having one end fixedly secured to said bar, a second arm arranged transversely "of and adjacent to the other end of said bar and having one end fixedly secured to said her, a wheelmounted on the other end of each of said arms and adapted to roll'ably Contact a supporting surface, 'a brace extending between each of said arms and the adjacent stile and having one end pivot'ally connected to the adjacent arm, extensile and contractil means arranged transversely of and carried by said stiles and spaced from said bar, and means connecting the other end of each of said braces to said first named means.

STANLEY J. ROKETA.

REFERENCES ones The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

cN'ITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 543,513 Somers July 30, 1895 {799;782 Ellinger Sept. 19, 1905 972,001 Holdorf 1 Oct. 4, 1910 1,004,284 Lehmann e i Sept. 26, 1911 1,007,347 Flightner Oct. 31, 1911 1,015,123 Bauer Jan. 16, 1912 1,447,092 Larson Feb. 27, 1923 1,471,848 Johnson Oct. 23, 1923 1,948,577 Harsen Feb. 27, 1934 

